A Child Is Given
by lia-finn
Summary: A baby, and a promise of one as four people live out their dreams. Dreams of life, not death. NS, GC


A Child Is Given  
  
By Lia  
  
Disclaimers: Not mine. Belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, and Anthony Zuiker and CBS. No infringement is intended, no money is being made with this.  
  
Author´s Note: This was my very first CSI fic I´ve written. Feedback is much appreciated and wanted. Let me know if you liked this one. Thank you to Pat for beta, she did a great job. You see people, English isn´t my first language and the grammar is killing me. Now, enjoy the story!  
-----------  
  
I have seen them working together for years, and now that I think about it, it´s so obvious. It´s no longer a secret, I am sitting in her room, watching her sleep and rocking my two day old goddaughter in my arms. She´s Madeline. The most beautiful baby I have ever seen in my life.  
  
It was July a few years back when I sat on the blanket at the park, Lindsey sleeping, her head on my lap, watching my friends throwing a Frisbee farther off. Every now and then I saw Catherine glancing at my direction, a soft smile lingering on her lips as she saw me with her daughter.  
  
I listened their voices, smiled at their victory dances and happy laughter. This had been Catherine´s idea. She told me that we needed a break, a break from all the horror and pain we saw every day. A break from the dark nights. She wanted us to go somewhere together, to see the sun, and enjoy the life. Together. Like friends. Like normal people might. Normal people who do not deal in horror and death.  
  
Some hours later, when the sun was setting, we sat on the blankets. Nick lay on his back, arms behind his head, eyes closed. He wasn´t sleeping, I knew that because I heard his soft voice as he answered to Sara who lay on her stomach next to him. I turned my head away to look at Warrick and Lindsey who played farther. My eyes fell close for a moment, the sun still warming my face. Catherine lay on my side, and her hand reached for mine, giving a light squeeze.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered.  
  
"You´re welcome." I nodded softly. "This was your idea."  
  
"I know." Her lips curved into small smile and she closed her eyes again.  
  
Months later, after the wedding, Lindsey came to tell me of the secret she had kept since that day. "That day at the park." She started. "She kissed him." Maybe it was the clueless look on my face that made her explain. "I saw Sara leaning down to kiss Nick. When they thought no one would see, but I saw."  
  
She would make one good investigator one day.  
  
"Ok." I said, not knowing what else to say. It doesn´t matter now. They are married, expecting a baby. I think it would not have mattered months ago either. Their hidden relationship never hurt their working.  
  
Well, there was times I wasn´t that sure. Later that fall, someone threw a big party where we all were expected. Catherine and I arrived first, Nick right after us. We stood by the bar, talking quietly at the latest case that had been tough for all of us, but especially hard and exhausting for Catherine and Sara. It had made me watch over the both women more carefully that I normally did.  
  
I saw Catherine´s eyes saddening as she remembered the small abused body. Slightly, unnoticed, she leaned against me as I placed my arm around her, giving her the silent support she needed. I glanced up Nick, and found him staring over my shoulder, and for a short second I saw a flash of jealousy in his eyes. I turned to look where he was staring and saw Sara walking in with Warrick. His hand on the small of her back he escorted her to us.  
  
"Hey." He said. "I need a drink."  
  
I nodded understanding. "Cath, you want something?"  
  
"Sure." She looked at me softly.  
  
"Nick, Sara?"  
  
"No, we´re okay." Nick tore his eyes away from the woman in front of him.  
  
"Okay then."  
  
The bar wasn´t that far, and after a long silent moment I heard Sara´s soft voice. "You´re jealous?" I didn´t see her face but I am sure she was smiling at him.  
  
"No, I am not jealous." He answered, his voice as soft but he wasn´t smiling, I can tell that for sure.  
  
"Yes you are. You´re jealous of Warrick."  
  
"Sara." The way he said her name told more than the word.  
  
Catherine caught me listening the private conversation and placed her glass on the counter. "Tell me Gil, why you haven´t asked me to dance yet?"  
  
I looked at her and took her hand. "Dance with me." I laughed and led her in to the dancing crowd.  
  
Later that night I saw them standing across the room, and him leaning to whisper something to her. She smiled, and for a short moment they forgot where they were, and he reached to push the escaping strands of hair away from her face.  
  
They left home separately. I left with Catherine.  
  
-----------  
  
Maddie cries a little, and I reach to touch her face with my fingers. She calms down a little, but only to open her blue eyes to see that my face isn´t familiar. Then she starts to cry again.  
  
"Hey." Sara smiles at me tiredly from the bed and pulls herself up a little.  
  
"Hey, I guess she misses her mother." I say and give the baby to her.  
  
"She´s probably just hungry." She says and places the baby on her arms and starts to feed her.  
  
I look away. Sara looks at me and laughs a little. "Where´s Nick?" She asks and turns to look at her daughter again.  
  
"Warrick took him home to sleep for a while. It took us several hours to make him leave this room." I chuckle.  
  
She glances up and smiles at the thought. Her eyes are so filled with love that I am afraid she could drown someone into them. "Thank you for being here with us." She says.  
  
"Sure." I reply and lean back against in the comfortable chair that was brought to Nick two days earlier.  
  
-----------  
  
Just before the Christmas we had a case where we found a couple shot in their car. On the backseat was an empty baby seat. For hours we searched the scene and the near forest. It was already dark and raining when Nick found the two-year-old boy. He had wrapped the child in his own jacket and carried him in the waiting ambulance. I sighed in relief, and next to me Sara was staring at Nick, tears falling down on her cheeks, mixing with the rain. We stood silently in the rain, watching as Nick sat in the ambulance the small boy in his lap, the child´s arms tightly wrapped around his neck, refusing to let go. After several minutes Nick left the sleeping child in the care of the paramedics and walked to us. Without a word Sara wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. Nick met my eyes over her shoulder and I nodded slightly, as if giving permission to an unasked question. He nodded too and buried his head against her shoulder, the exhaustion flushing over him.  
  
Catherine had invited us to the Christmas dinner. I arrived first, and Lindsey´s eyes lit up as she saw all the presents I brought with me. After me arrived Warrick and his long time girlfriend, Faith. A short time later came Greg with Natalie, the young woman who had stolen the technician´s heart.  
  
It was an hour later when the doorbell rang again and Lindsey ran to open. I heard her delighted voice and saw her walking in the living room arms full of presents. Warrick glanced at me curiously as Nick and Sara walked in.  
  
"Merry Christmas." Nick said, and only now I saw their joined hands.  
  
"Merry Christmas."  
  
The almost uncomfortable silence fell in the room before Nick talked. "It´s not like you didn´t know this already."  
  
The rest of the night went peacefully, Greg and Natalie leaving after dinner to visit her parents as well. "Thank you for having us." She said softly as Greg helped her with her jacket.  
  
"We´re glad you came." Catherine said and filled Greg´s arms with the leftovers.  
  
Nick and Sara sat on the couch, her head resting against his shoulder, his arm around her. I watched them from the doorway, listening their soft, sleepy murmurs. I saw him placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before I turned away and walked into the kitchen.  
  
"You need help?" I asked Catherine.  
  
She turned around and leaned against the counter. "Come here." Her voice was a soft whisper.  
  
I walked to her and she wrapped her arms around my neck and placed a soft kiss on my lips. I caressed her waist with my hands and returned to the kiss. "Merry Christmas." She said as we parted.  
  
"Merry Christmas." I replied smiling.  
  
-----------  
  
I jerk awake as I feel a hand on my shoulder.  
  
"It´s me." Catherine says softly and leans closer to look at the baby. "She´s adorable."  
  
"That she is." I nod and stood up stretching.  
  
"You´re tired." She looks at me worriedly and smoothes her swollen belly.  
  
For a moment I stare at her stomach before lifting my eyes to meet hers. In a few months she will give birth to my son or daughter. "I love you." I say.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
We hear the door open and Nick walks in. He looks rested and excited to see his daughter. With a quick glance to us he walks pass us and leans to touch the sleeping child.  
  
"Hey sweetheart." He whispers.  
  
Sara opens her eyes and I see her smiling tiredly at her husband. "Hey you." She says softly.  
  
"Hey." He sits on the edge of her bed and leans down to kiss her. "How´re you feeling?"  
  
"Couldn´t be happier."  
  
He strokes her face gently before glancing again their daughter.  
  
-----------  
  
It was a warm day in spring when they got married. Only their families and close friends were there. I watched her before the ceremony. Catherine and Natalie helped her with her simple ivory dress, and Faith placed white flowers in her hair. They giggled a lot, and then stood in front of the mirror and stared at the reflection.  
  
"You´re so beautiful." Natalie said softly.  
  
"You look amazing." I had to say from the doorway.  
  
They all turned to look at me, and suddenly I felt like I was intruding into something private. Sara smiled at me softly but said nothing, she turned to look at her reflection again, and Natalie and Faith wiped carefully their eyes. Catherine walked to me and before gently pushing me out of the room she asked. "How´s Nick?"  
  
"Good." I replied.  
  
Then the door was closed. For a short moment I stood there before walking down the hall in the room where Warrick and Greg sat on the couch laughing at something. Nick sat on the edge of the table and glanced up to me.  
  
"Well?" He asked.  
  
"She looks stunning." I told him.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked excitedly.  
  
"Yeah." I confirm.  
  
The ceremony was held in the small garden behind Nick´s parents' house. The priest talked beautifully and every now and then Catherine released my hand to wipe her eyes. The first kiss as a man and a wife was soft and gentle and we stood up to congratulate them.  
  
The sun was already setting as we watched Nick and Sara dancing. Catherine leaned her head against my shoulder and sighed deeply.  
  
"That was an awfully heavy sigh in this beautiful day." I said softly.  
  
"I´m just so happy for them." She replied.  
  
I pressed a small kiss on her head before turning my eyes back to the dance floor where Nick´s brother danced with Lindsey. "Marry me." I asked.  
  
"What?" She straightened up.  
  
I turned to look at her, my face serious. "I´m not saying now, but someday near future, marry me."  
  
"Yes." She said and leaned her head back on my shoulder.  
  
-----------  
  
The day Madeline was born and I sat with Lindsey in the waiting room, she looked at me thoughtfully.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"Do I have to call you dad?"  
  
I looked at her surprised. "What do you want to call me?"  
  
"I don´t know."  
  
"I think that you already have a dad, so you don´t need another one." I said. "But I´d like to be a big part of your life, I love you like my own daughter."  
  
"I love you too, Gil." She said and reached to hug me. "And I think I´d like to call you Gil."  
  
"That´s fine." I said and kissed her forehead.  
  
-----------  
  
Four months after the wedding Sara walked in, smiling and oblivious to Catherine, looking somehow different. Before Warrick and I had a chance to say anything, Catherine jumped up.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes!" Sara laughed.  
  
Catherine reached to hug her, and when she pulled away I realized they were both crying a little.  
  
"What?" Warrick asked, and same time saved me from asking that question I was too wondering, and earning the looks from both women.  
  
"I´m pregnant." Sara smiles happily.  
  
Both Warrick and I looked down on her stomach first before the knowledge what she had said reached our brains. It´s probably a man thing. I stood up and walked to her, reaching to hug her tightly.  
  
"Congratulations." I whispered in her ear before Warrick too my place.  
  
A short time later she met Nick in the hallway. "I´m pregnant." She said interrupting his talk about the evidence.  
  
For a moment he stared the small evidence bag he was holding before it hit him. "Pregnant?"  
  
"Yes." She smiled. "We´re going to have a baby."  
  
-----------  
  
Now when I am holding Catherine in my arms, knowing that one day she will marry me, and knowing that my child is growing inside of her, I could not be happier. I look Nick and Sara lying on the hospital bed, little Madeline between them in his arms. I place my hand on the small of Cath´s back and lead her out of the room, leaving the new family alone. We walk in the waiting room where I see Warrick sitting an arm around Faith, Greg and Natalie laughing softly at something Lindsey had said.  
  
In this moment, the world is perfect.  
  
The End 


End file.
